Doug Hyneman had struggled with his weight for most of his life, but it was a shoulder injury that finally forced him to take control of his body. The 28-year-old welder from Mohnton, Pennsylvania, had already joined his nearby Retro Fitness, but while he recovered he had no motivation to workout. Instead he spent months playing video games and watching movies.
He estimates he was eating 7,000-10,000 calories a day in straight junk food. Simple tasks such as tying his shoes or short walks became a challenge; he had difficulty sleeping and even sometimes going to the bathroom. By the time he got back to the gym, he was 26 years old and weighed 380 pounds, with nearly 42 percent body fat.
Hyneman says it wasn’t easy getting back into the gym. He had a supportive trainer from day one, but with his injury he couldn’t lift more than three pounds above his shoulders with his left arm. That ruled out upper body exercises for the first six months of his training.
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But he threw himself into three one-on-one training sessions a week, plus group workouts, including boxing. From the beginning he used a body composition analyzer and scale to chart his progress, with weekly check-ins.
And he fixed his diet, cutting it to 3000-3500 daily calories thanks to meal prep kits from a local company. In just over eight months, he dropped 145 pounds and cut his body fat percentage by more than 27 percent. He friends and family had cautioned him about his weight; now they’re amazed they barely recognize the Hyneman who used to tip the scales at almost 400 pounds. He got LASIK surgery and ditched his glasses, and he found his current girlfriend. He’s got more self-confidence and now actually enjoys shopping for clothes.
Doug Hyneman
He still wants to drop a few more pounds, though, and get his body fat down to ten percent. After that he’ll get plastic surgery to remove the excess skin around his stomach—he’s still gunning for a six pack. He’s even taking a course to become a personal trainer, he says, “So I can help others achieve their goals and to continue to inspire and motivate many!”
To that end, he offers some advice about getting started and staying committed. It’s the first steps that are the hardest, he says, and if you can remind yourself that you’re doing it for you, working out and eating healthy can become a routine. At the same time, he says, “Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask questions when you feel like you’ve had a little hiccup. Someone will always be there to support you through it.”
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